Riding The Great Allegheny Passage - Day 2

Connellsville to Rockwood

While planning this ride I considered saving one hotel night by completing the trail in two 70-mile days rather than three days. I'm glad I finally decided to take the extra third day. Considering how long it took me to complete each of the three segments, and considering the level of fatigue I felt at the end of each day, it would have been a mistake to choose the two day option. Ten years ago I could have done two consecutive 70 mile days with a little extra effort. Now it would have been pushing the envelope. If I had done two 70 mile days, each day would have included about nine hours of pedaling. The trip would have been an exhausting athletic event rather than an enjoyable sightseeing excursion.

I began the second segment of my journey on September 9th at the exact spot where I stopped the previous day: in Yough River Park next to the Youghiogheny River in Connellsville. The park has a replica of the cabin Colonel William Crawford constructed in 1765. Crawford (1732-1782) was a soldier in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. He was also a surveyor who worked with George Washington.

The blue belt bag around my waist contained my camera, wallet, glasses, and food. I carried the same snack used on previous trail rides: a mixture of crumbled sugar cookies and raisins. I started pedaling at 9:20 am after waiting a bit for the cool morning to warm.

My starting energy level and enthusiasm were high as I set off through the back streets of Connellsville and passed this flag in the cool morning.

Once again, mileage signs, like the one above on the way out of Connellsville, were inconsistent with mile markers along the trail. There was at least a mile discrepancy between the 90 mile mark on the trail and this sign showing 90 miles to Cumberland. This annoying discrepancy soon faded from mind as I began enjoying the trail out of Connellsville on the bridge seen in the pictures below.

The trail became very scenic. I was intoxicated by fresh, fragrant air, a cool breeze, and the sparkling sunlit river to my left.

I passed another small Red Waterfall caused by elevated acid and iron levels in emerging ground water. Other small waterfalls frequently descended steep slopes to my right.

The trail segment from Connellsville to Ohiopyle seemed to be the most remote with the fewest bikers. It was also the most beautiful portion of the Great Allegheny Passage. Riding along on the smooth trail surface in absolutely perfect conditions filled me with euphoria. I loved the solitude, the river views, the forest smells, the sound of river rapids, and leaves falling in the quiet breeze. If the leaves had also been colored autumn gold, I think I would have been completely overwhelmed!

Always hoping to find fossils while riding along, I examined many layered rock formations rising nearly vertically on the side of the trail. At one spot I glanced to my right and saw coal seams clearly visible in the three pictures below. I stopped and found several chunks of coal that had fallen down the cliffs. Then, carefully avoiding poison ivy, I searched for fossils. I saw some fossil stems, but no leaves. The stems were broken and unremarkable. I'd love to return here with a hammer, backpack, and more time to explore.

This bridge crossed the Youghiogheny River and gave good views of the river below.

Soon I crossed this bridge into Ohiopyle, roughly 18 miles from the start.

There was a nice sunny view from the Ohiopyle bridge.

I found Ohiopyle to be a charming small town. Lots of snack bars, bike shops, and bed & breakfasts serve bikers on the trail.

The old Ohiopyle train station serves as a visitor center.

I biked a short distance off the trail to view the Ohiopyle Falls and the rapids leading to them. Unfortunately, observation decks for the falls were under construction, so the best head-on views were off limits behind fences. A side view was the best I could get.

The next stop along the way was the town of Confluence where the Casselman River meets the Youghiogheny River. In the next picture the Youghiogheny River is closest to the camera on the right. The Casselman River is further from the camera coming in from the right near the center of the picture where the two rivers join.

The mileage sign at Confluence said 19 miles to today's destination, Rockwood.

I saw this man fishing in the Youghiogheny River as I rode near Confluence.

The next picture shows the trail leaving Confluence. I detected a very slight uphill grade on the way from Confluence, elevation 1353 feet, to Rockwood, elevation 1826 feet. The height gain of 473 feet over a distance of about 19 miles hardly demanded much effort.

Between mileposts 55 and 50 I encountered the closed Pinkerton Tunnel.

The tunnel bypass was about a mile long and passed through attractive, shady forest.

The bypass brought me to the other end of the tunnel where I could more easily view inside. I don't know why this relatively short tunnel has not been repaired and made part of the trail.

Roughly eight generally unremarkable miles remained until Rockwood. The trail approaching Rockwood looked like this.

Just before Rockwood a bench was placed before this small waterfall so one could sit quietly and enjoy its soothing gurgle.

I arrived in Rockwood at 3:00 pm after traveling about 46 miles in 5 hours and 40 minutes. My average speed was 8.12 mph, slower than yesterday because I stopped so many times to take pictures, especially in Ohiopyle where I spent about 30 minutes sightseeing.

C took my picture in Rockwood next to the interesting reflective metal sculpture seen above. After today's trip I felt about the same as I did yesterday, tired, but not exhausted. My bike was quite dusty after each day's ride, so I wiped it clean before loading it into the car for the drive to our next hotel. A shower felt wonderful after the ride.

The 17-mile trail segment between Connellsville and Ohiopyle turned out to be the most enjoyable portion of the entire Great Allegheny Passage. It was absolutely beautiful!

Only 44 miles remained from Rockwood to Cumberland. I looked forward to more new sights on my final journey the next day.